Fruit harvesting and spray mechanism



Nov. 29, 1960 A. L. GIRARDI FRUIT HARVESTING AND SPRAY MECHANISM FiledJune 4, 1956 INVENTOR. 4N7'0/V/0 lnwesA/cs 6/2420/ States Patent FRUITHARVESTING AND SPRAY MECHANISM Antonio Lawrence Girardi, Rte. 3, Box324, Stockton, Calif.

Filed June 4, 1956, Ser. No. 589,081

8 Claims. (Cl. 118-24) This invention relates to fruit harvestingmechanism of the general character of the Orchard Apparatus disclosed inmy copending applications Ser. No. 492,433, filed March 7, 1955 (PatentNo. 2,798,623, dated July 9, 1957), and Ser. No. 570,165, filed March 7,1956. More particularly, this invention relates to mechanism fortreating and conveying fruit from the hands of a picker to a deliverystation.

Fruits, especially peaches, are easily bruised; and bruises not onlyimpair the grade and the value of the fruit, but contribute to the rapiddeterioration of the fruit by facilitating attack by spores, fungi, andother organisms which cause spoilage. For example, the spores that causebrown rot in peaches are easily spread from one peach to another; andthe mere contact of a sound peach with an infected piece of fruit, oreven with an area With which the infected piece has come in contact, mayinitiate spoilage which will seriously affect the marketableness of thefruit. At the time a peach is picked, the infection may be so slight asto escape observation by the picker. Still, contact with other peaches,or with surfaces with which other peaches come in contact, may cause theinfection to spread so widely and so rapidly that large amounts of fruitmay be reduced below acceptable standards before the fruit can bedelivered to and graded by the packer or canner.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide mechanismwhich will convey fruit from a picking station to a delivery stationwith a minimum likelihood or bruising and with a minimum exposure tocontact with spores and similar damaging organisms spread by previouslypicked fruit.

Another object is to provide a conveyor which may be extended by andwithan axially and angularly adjustable boom, throughout the range ofmovement of the boom, to safely carry fruit from the point of pickingtothe point of delivery.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means for directingspray material (liquid, powder, or gaseous) onto the freshly pickedfruit before it has been exposed to contamination by contact withinfected fruit or contaminated surfaces.

A further object is to provide an extensible belt construction adaptedto minimize injury to fruit, and to permit a wide range of longitudinalextension within a minimum of transverse cross-sectional area.

A still further object is to provide an extensible conveyor beltprovided with collapsible pockets movable over idler pulleys of smalldiameter engaging either face of the belt, the belt being so constructedas to obtain compactness, economy; in construction, and efliciency inoperation.

The invention has other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be hereinafter explained in connectionwith the illustrative em- 2 bodiment of the invention shown in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of the present specification- It isto be understood that the invention is not limited to the structuralfeatures shown in the drawings a s the iiivention may be embodied inother forms and the structural details may be variously modifiedvwithinthe scope of the appended claims. I

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a fragmental side elevational view, partly in longitudinalvertical section, of a portion of a fruit pickers boom equipped withfruit treating and conveyin mechanism embodying the presentinvention; t

Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view of a portion of a conveyor belt made inaccordance with vention; 9

Fig. 3 is a fragmental transverse sectional view of the conveyor belt,the plane of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; a I

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail showing'the manner in which thecollapsible pockets move over the idler pulleys; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional view, th plane of thesection being indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2.

In terms of broad inclusion, the device of thepresent inventioncomprises anextensible conveyor belt, movable by and with an extensibleboom of a fruit picking machine throughout its range of movement,saidconveyor being mounted over pulleys movable with the boom to take inand pay out whatever length of conveyor; is necessary to accommodateaxial extension and retraction of the boom. The conveyor belt isprovided with a fabric back ing having loops matching with openings inthe belt to form pockets for the reception of fruit, and said loopsbeing collapsible to permit movement of the conveyor belt over pulleysengaging ei-t-her the outer or inner surface of the belt. The inventionalso contemplates the provision of means for directing spray materialonto the fruit as it is delivered onto the conveyor.

In terms of greater detail, and in reference to the illustrativeembodiment shown in the drawings, the device of the present inventioncomprises an BXtGIISlbIQ bOQII} of the general character disclosed in myco-pending'ap plications above referred to, said boom being designatedin general by the numeral 6. The boom is extensible axially, and ismovable angularly about v'erticalandhorizontal axes for manipulating apickers cage or platform 7 about adjacent surfaces of adjacent trees, asfully explained in said co-pending applications.

the present in- Mounted upon and substantially Within the boom is an.

extensible conveyor designated in general by thenumeral 8. The conveyorcomprises a strip of material ,preferably canvas or equivalent fabric,having its sideedges doubled inwardly as at 9, and having its endsjoined to form an endless belt. The conveyor belt is extendedover mainpulleys 11 mounted upon the ends of the boom, and over a plurality ofyieldably movable idler pulleys 12 mounted upon a movable yolk 14, asindicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The idler pulleys 12 engage loops15 of the conveyor belt, the loops being payed out and drawn in toaccommodate extension and retraction of the boom so that the upper reach16 of the conveyor will. extend from a point near the cage 7 to adelivery point near the base upon which the boom is supported at anyposition of the cage within the range of axial and angular movement ofthe boom.

Openings 17 are formed at regular intervals along the length of theconveyor belt 8. As illustrated, the openings extend transversely of thebelt, terminating slightly inwardly from the inturned edges 9. A stripof fabric 18, preferably canvas of a weight substantially less than thatof the conveyor belt 8, is secured to the back or underside of the belt8. The strip 18 is stitched or otherwise secured to the belt 8 betweenadjacent openings 17, with loops 19 matching with the openings to formpockets in back of the openings. The strip 18, and the loops 19 thereof,is sufliciently flexible to collapse and lie fiat against the back ofthe belt 8 as is passes over a pulley engaging the belt.

Spray mechanism designated in general by the numeral 21 is mountedadjacent the outer end of the boom 6 and conveyor 8. The spray mechanismpreferably comprises a, pair of spray heads 22 arranged to direct spraymaterial onto pieces of fruit from above and below so as to effectivelyspray the entire surface of each piece of fruit. The spray may bedirected onto the fruit as it rolls along a screen or chute 23 extendingbetween the pickers cage and the end of the conveyor, so as to subjectthe fruit to the spraying treatment before it reaches the conveyor. Thistreatment prevents active spores from being transferred from one pieceof fruit to another, or to the surface of the conveyor belt.

In operation, the upper reach 16 of the belt extends in 'a straight pathfrom the outer end of the boom 6 to its base. Fruit is delivered ontothe outer end of the conveyor as it is picked from the trees by a pickeroccupying the cage 7. As the fruit approaches the conveyor, it iscompletely sprayed with material suitable for destroying spores and thelike without impairing the fruit. Any of the approved commercial sprays,and including dusting powders and gaseous materials, may be applied inaccordance with conventional spraying specifications. The spray materialmay be delivered to the spray head 22 through suitable pipe connections24, which may include a length of flexible hose, not shown, arranged topermit the extension and retraction of the boom without disturbing thespray connections.

The spray material carried by the fruit is spread onto the surface ofthe conveyor so that fruit touching an area previously touched by aninfected piece of fruit will not also become infected. This treatmenteffectively prevents spoilage beyond allowable limits between the timethe fruit is picked and the time it is normally reached for grading bythe packer or canner.

I claim:

1. In a mobile orchard apparatus of the character described, an axiallyextensible boom, main conveyor pulleys journalled upon the boom adjacentits ends, an endless conveyor belt mounted over said main pulleys, idlerpulleys engaging loops of the conveyor intermediate the main pulleys,said idler pulleys being yieldably movable to pay out and take in theloops in conformity with the extension and retraction of the boom,flexible pockets carried by the belt collapsible to pass over idlerpulleys engaging either face of the conveyor belt, and a spray headmounted upon the outer end of the boom and positioned to direct spraymaterial onto the fruit substantially as it is delivered onto theconveyor by a picker.

2. In a fruit harvesting machine, the combination with a substantiallyhollow boom extensible along its longitudinal axis and provided with aplurality of conveyor pulleys at least one of which is movable relativeto the others of an endless belt extending over the pulleys and arrangedto be lengthened and shortened in conformity with the extension andretraction of the boom by the relative movement of the pulleys, andpockets carried by the belt for conveying fruit from the outer end ofthe boom 4 l to its base, said pockets being collapsible to permitmovement of the belt over pulleys intermediate the ends of the conveyorand engaging either side thereof, and means upon the outer end of theboom for directing spray material onto fruit at about the point ofdelivery thereof onto the conveyor.

3. In a fruit harvesting machine, the combination with an extensibleboom and a conveyor extensible with the boom for carrying fruit from areceiving point adjacent the outer end of the boom to a delivery pointadjacent the base end of the boom, bf a foraminous chute positioned uponthe outer end of the boom to direct fruit onto the receiving end of theconveyor, and spray heads mounted upon the outer end of the boom andpositioned to direct spray material onto the fruit from differentdirections.

4. The combination defined by claim 3 wherein the chute is formed ofscreen mesh, a spray head being positioned below the chute for sprayingthe under surface of the fruit through the screen.

5. In a mobile orchard fruit picking apparatus of the characterdescribed, an axially extensible boom, a con veyor mounted upon the boomfor movement therewith, said conveyor being extensible and retractablewith the boom and being operable for conveying fruit from the outer endof the boom to the base thereof throughout the range of extension of theboom, and means upon the outer end of the boom positioned for directingspray material onto fruit substantially coincidentally with its deliveryby a picker onto the conveyor.

6. In a mobile orchard fruit picking apparatus of the characterdescribed, an axially extensible boom, a con veyor mounted upon the boomfor movement therewith, said conveyor being extensible and retractablewith the boom and being operable for conveying fruit from the outer endof the boom to the base thereof throughout the range of extension of theboom, said conveyor compris ing an endless belt provided with aplurality of collapsible pockets movable over pulleys substantiallyenclosed within the boom, and means upon the outer end of the boompositioned for directing spray material onto the fruit substantiallycoincidentally with its delivery by a picker onto the conveyor.

7. In a fruit harvesting machine, the combination with a substantiallyhollow boom extensible along its longitudinal axis and provided with aplurality of conveyor pulleys at least one of which is movable relativeto the others, of an endless belt extending over the pulleys andarranged to be lengthened and shortened in conformity with the extensionand retraction of the boom by the relative movement of the pulleys, saidbelt being substantially enclosed within the boom, pockets carried bythe belt for conveying fruit from the outer end of the boom to the basethereof, said pockets being adapted to permit the movement of the beltover the pulleys intermediate the ends of the conveyor while the pulleysengage either face of the belt, and means upon the outer end of the boomfor directing spray material onto the fruit at about the point ofdelivery thereof onto the conveyor.

8. In a fruit harvesting machine, the combination with a substantiallyhollow boom extensible along its longitudinal axis and provided with aplurality of conveyor pulleys at least one of which is movable relativeto the others of an endless belt extending over the pulleys and arrangedto be lengthened and shortened in conformity with the extension andretraction of the boom by the relative movement of the pulleys, pocketscarried by the belt for conveying fruit from the outer end of the boomto the base thereof, said pockets being adapted to permit movement ofthe belt over pulleys intermediate the ends-of the conveyor while thepulleys engage either face of the belt, a foraminous chute positioned todirect fruit onto the conveyor belt adjacent the outer end of the boom,and means mounted upon the boom and movable therebelt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSBrennan July 11, 1922 Schiff Jan. 17, 1928 6 Dallinga Mar. 11, 1930Schiff Feb. 28, 1933 Wright Apr. 3, 1934 Giordano May 13, 1947 McCullochFeb. 24, 1948 Leonard Mar. 6, 1951 Shugart et a1 July 10, 1951 Hussey eta1 Dec. 11, 1951 Maderira June 2, 1953

